


They totally steal souls, guys!

by AfricanAnansi



Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: OCs - Freeform, OCs everywhere, as far as the eye can see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-08-15 13:39:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8058481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AfricanAnansi/pseuds/AfricanAnansi
Summary: The crew of Nine Shrines: Adventures and Dines are hired for a seemingly innocuous mission that turns out to be much more sinister. So, you know, just another Tuesday. (AKA: I accidentally made an entire sea of characters while binging TI and had no idea what to do with them. So this happened.)





	1. You're going on an adventure

Standing behind the bar of the Nine Shrines: Adventures and Dines Aesling swept a rag lightly across the wooden surface, while, Markus, one of her companions in adventuring sat across from her. His one hand propping his head while the other gestured animatedly as he talked. She, of course, want listening to a word he said.

 

This was a fairly familiar scene. The group had taken to role-playing scenarios one would see in a normal bar to pass the times they had no customers or adventures to embark upon, of which there were many. In this instance, The Great Markus Valafi, was playing the role of talkative patron. Unloading all his worldly woes, most of which were fabricated for the sake of the exercise, onto an inattentive Ashe who had fallen into the role of barkeep but was in reality trying to rid the bar of the months with of dust it seemed to have collected in only a few short hours.

 

As if coming answering Ashe's prayers the door of the Nine Shrines swung open and put a stop to the tieflings tragic ramblings. 

 

"Uh! Hello!" Ashe called to the stranger, still finding herself startled when someone they didn't recognize entered the bar.

 

"Hello." The man returned the greeting with much less enthusiasm. He's a tall blond, long hair pulled into a purposefully messy ponytail, and clad in a neatly trim black and blue three price suit.

 

He surveyed the bar with a look somewhere between disinterest and disgust.

 

"Um." Marcus shared a glance with Ashe before jumping down from his seat with a flourish. "What can we help you with today at The Nine Shrines: Adventures and Dines? Pick your poison. We've got it all!" He said cheerily as he made he way behind the bar. Briefly, he tried to move Ashe aside. She didn't budge, but let him try for a moment before stepping back herself.

 

The mans eyes snapped to them and he suddenly seemed to remember why be was there. "I've been told I can hire... Mercenaries here?" He trailed off near the end as if unsure.

 

"We're not mercenaries, exactly." Ashe chimed in. "We're adventurers."

 

"Who take cash." Markus added helpfully.

 

"Right." The man seemed unconvinced and maybe a little unimpressed.

 

"I'll, uh, I'll go get Thog." Ashe hurried off to round up Thog and Gregor, leaving Markus alone with their newest client.

 

"Can I get you a drink while we wait?" Markus offered, attempting to lighten the heavy and uncomfortable atmosphere.

 

"I don't drink." The man said coldly, blatantly eyeing Markus's horns.

 

"Okay." Markus conceded, briefly before trying again. He was determined to be a good host despite this man's refusal to be hosted. "Something to eat then? A snack, maybe?" They didn't actually have much by way of food at the Nine Shrines but he was confident he could make something... Edible, or at least his imps could.

 

"Alright!" A deep, assertive voice boomed from the back of the bar. "What's the gig?" Thog marched across the bar with Ashe and a slightly damp Gregor trailing behind him. Markus muttered a small ' oh thank gods' as they approached, glad to no longer be the target of their guests intense gaze.

 

The man suddenly seemed to wilt, his shoulders dropped and his eyes grew worried. "It's my fiancé. There's a small market town near our own she often travels to. But recently the forest has become overrun with monsters and she's been gone much longer then usual. I'm worried that she cannot return or that, maybe she tried..."

 

"And you want them," Thog jabbed thumb towards his team. "To go see what why can find." He paused. "And what are you payin'?"

 

"Thog!" Markus gasped, apparently aghast. "The love of this mans life has gone missing in a den of monsters-"

 

"Ten thousand." The man interrupted bluntly. "Each."

 

"Oh yeah, we'll take that for sure." Markus, dropping the act.

 

Thog raised a brow. "Each." He repeated slowly. "And how many of 'em you want?"

 

The man shrugged. "As many as you deem necessary." He said. "Money isn't an object here."

 

Thog paused and seemed to think for a moment. "Kier! Get in here!"

 

A series of thumps and a crash sounded from somewhere in the back of the bar before a slightly disheveled engineer popped into view. "What's up!? What's happening!? Is it the hug machine, is it extorting people again!?"

 

"You're going on adventure." Thog

 

"Oh! Okay!" He pauses a moment suddenly growing concerned. "…What kind of adventure?"

 

"We're going to help this poor soul get the love of his life back!" Marcus said, dramatically swooning before giving a real explanation. "It's basically an escort mission. We find the girl we bring her back. Easy!" He flashes a thumbs up.

 

"Oh!" Keir cheers a bit. "That doesn't sound super deadly at all! I'm in!"

 

"He did say there would be monsters." Ashe pointed out.  
  
Keir waved the comment off. "Pfft! Monster are nothing! I'm in!'

 

With that settled Thog took a few moments to draw up the contract going over what each member of his team would be receiving by the end and the perimeters that must be met for a mission complete. Most everyone was more then happy to take the money though Markus couldn't help but inquire about any magical artifacts they might come across.

 

"It's a simple trek through the forest." The man replied, unimpressed. "It's a days journey at worst."

 

"That doesn't matter." Thog stated blandly. "These guys are very good at finding magical bullshit. If there's magic, or bullshit, anywhere near them. They'll find it."

 

"It's true!" Markus exclaimed.

 

"It's like a super power." Gregor offered and the others muttered their agreement.

 

It was agreed Markus would be allowed to keep any magical bullshit he might obtain while under contract.

 

"So this girl. Uhm. You're Fiancé." Ashe started, once the contracts had been squared away. "What exactly are we looking for?"

 

"Oh! Yes." The man suddenly seemed to jump to attention from his daze of disinterest. "She shouldn't be very hard to find. She's tall. Very tall. 6 feet?" He stops to think for a moment. "Easily. She also wears a bear pelt. Loves the silly thing. Takes it everywhere. And she has… the most beautiful white hair." He pauses, his eyes drift over Aesling. "Much like yours."

 

"Okay…" Ashe, desperate to put his attention elsewhere, pushed for more. "Anything else?"

 

"Yes." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "She has a tattoo. On her shoulder. Proudly displayed. You'll see it."  He unfolds the paper and shows them a meticulously drawn but simple image of what appeared to be tombstone with a circle in the center with two small triangles pointing to the north and south.

 

"Ah." Markus reached out and took the paper. "A tattoo, huh? This is interesting. As you can see Aesling here prefers a more tribal influence herself."

 

Ashe rolls her eyes.

 

"I can see." The man muttered. "I would love to stay, and await your news with baited breath," He started as he stood. "I do have affairs to tend." Form his coat he pulled a crystal from his coat. "There is a wizard in our village.  He uses these crystals to send and receive messages. Please let me know when you've found her."

 

"So, and I might be wrong here, I'm not real good at reading people." Kier started once he'd left and Thog had set about making their travel arrangements off the isle. "But was that guy a little… Skeevy, right? He was Skeevy?"

 

"Oh thank gods." Ashe sighed, slumping in her seat. "You noticed that too. I though it was just me."

 

"Yeah." Markus agreed, though he seemed distracted by the image of the tattoo.

  
"Is it magic?" Gregor asked. "You're making the 'I taste magic' face."

 

"See?!" Keir started. "There's a face! I told you there was a face!"

 

"Hmmm. Well."

 

"Yeah?" Ashe urged.

 

"I did notice our new client was just drenched in magic. Tons of it. Just getting everywhere. All over the floor and the bar. Real messy actually."

 

"Wait. For real?" The Guardian furrowed her brow.  Markus nods. "Then why does he need us to fight a bunch of monsters for him?"

 

Markus shrugged. "Maybe doesn't have very good offensive magic." Gregor offered. "Maybe all he can do is like… turn plants into mice, but he can doing it really well."

 

"That's always a possibility." The tiefling mused. "I also noticed." He help up the paper. "Is a Necromantic symbol."

 

Gregor's eyes narrowed while Ashe and Keir stared blankly. "Necromancer's aren't really around anymore, are they?" The outrider asked.

 

"Well, people still practice it sometimes. But Necromancer's like this." He motions to the paper. "Like form the stories. No ones heard from them for years." Markus shrugged. "But this is definitely one of theirs. What it means it beyond me. But it's Necromancy alright."

 

"I'm sorry." Ashe cut in. "Necromancers?"

 

"Thanks." Keir muttered, bumping Ashe with his shoulder. "I didn't wanna look dumb if I was the only one who wasn't following."

 

"Do you two not- You don't know what Necromancers are?" Markus asked, slightly baffled. "But really, by now I shouldn't be surprised. Necromancers-"

 

"Necromancer's are evil magic users who steal your soul and add your corpse to their army of the dead!" Gregor interrupted.

 

"What?!" Ashe cried. "Steal your soul?! They can't do that! Can they?!"

  
"I didn't sign up for soul stealing!"

 

Markus held up his hands to quite everyone. "That is… what some of the stories say, yes. BUT!" He pushed forward before Ashe and Keir could start up again. "There's no definitive proof of that. It's all… he said she said type of rumors. Boogeyman stories, really. No ones seen a Necromancer for a long time and there are no documented incidents of soul stealing." He paused before adding. "That I know of."

 

"That you know of." Gregor added.

 

"So… No soul stealing?" Kier asked. Clearly worried.

 

"No… Probably."


	2. The Getting Got Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew have a hard time in a forest.

It didn't take very long to travel to a small coastal town on the edge of the forest they would be traveling through. They took a day to rest and stock up on supplies at the town as well as attempt to gain some clearer direction as to where they were headed. Their client hadn't been able to give them much by way of direction to the market town his fiancé traveled to having never traveled there himself. Few people in the coastal town were much more help. Most had no idea what they were talking about and few had a sense a of the town beyond there own but not where it was, fewer still have ever been their themselves. In the end they gathered that if they simply stayed east they should reach the town with little problem, in theory, Though even those small handful that had visited the town themselves seemed unsure of the true accuracy of their statements, but it was the best the gang had to go on so it was the advice they followed.

 

The next morning they set out to find the town while keeping an eye out for anything that may spell a less fortunate end for the poor woman besides simply being unable to leave. They'd journeyed for about 2 hours when Gregor began to voice his concerns.

  
"There are less monsters then I thought there would be." The warrior muttered, sounding much more disappointed then the others felt.

 

"Yeah." Ashe agreed. "He did sell the monsters pretty hard, but this forest doesn't seem very dangerous at all." She watches as a deer in the distance looks up, hearing them, and bounds away.

 

Gregor sighs. "I was promised monsters."

 

"I'm sure you'll get to fight a monster or two before we're done." Markus reassured.

 

"You think it might be a trap?" The warrior asked, suddenly very alert.

 

"For what?" Ashe furrows her brow.

 

"For The Necromancer's to ambush us and take our souls."

 

Ashe starts a little. "I thought there weren't going to be any Necromancers!"

 

Markus holds up a hand. "I said there probably wasn't going to be any soul stealing. I never said no Necromancers. Just that… They haven't been around for a while."

 

"That doesn't mean they can't be around again!"

 

"Very true." Markus shrugs."

 

"So." Ashe started again after a moment of silence. "These Necromancers that no ones seen for a long time…. Where did they go?"

 

"There was a fight, I guess." Markus said flippantly. "There was a ritual that would start some kind of apocalypse or raise some kind of death god? I'm not really sure on the details."

 

"But no one could just let them do something like that." Gregor added. "So they were fought back and just kind of disappeared."

 

Keir lets out a low groan. "First they can steal souls now they can summon entire apocalyptic death gods!? Just how powerful are they!? I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO FIGHT SOMETHING THAT CAN END THE WHOLE WORLD, MAN!"

 

"We probably won't have to?" Markus says thoughtfully. "I mean, the chances that we run into one are incredibly low just considering they don't seem to be… a thing, anymore, and they aren't anymore powerful then you're average dabbler in the arcane. As far as I know they're only a world ending problem in large numbers."

 

"You did say that tattoo was a necromantic symbol." Ashe pointed out, feeling a chill up her spine. "So… I don't think we can rule them out?"

 

"Maybe." Kier says in a conspiratorial whisper. "That guy and his fiancé are really Necromancers who lure unsuspecting adventurers to their doom! We could be being lured into the middle of some horrible undead ritual right now!"

 

"Keir! Shhhh!" Ashe snaps, giving him a whack on the shoulder. "There is no ritual! And hopefully, no Necromancers. Just a woman with… eccentric tastes."

 

"Yeah!" Markus agreed cheerily. "That's exactly what it is. Someone who gets symbols of necromancies put on their body for fun!"  
 

Kier nods, but remains unconvinced. "We're totally gunna get got." He mutters under his breath as the group continues through the forest.

 

As the group moved through the forest Ashe found herself growing more and more on edge. She glanced behind over her should often, unable to shake the feeling of being watched. "Does anyone else feel liked… we're being followed? Or like… I dunno."   
  
"Like we're about to get got?" Keir offered. "Because yes. I feel that right now. I feel very about to get got." He moves closer to Ashe who, despite her unease, takes a small step away from him.

 

"Really?" Markus glanced back at the two of them. "I feel fine. And I am no stranger to the getting got feeling."

 

Gregor contemplates his own feelings. "Nope. I don't feel it."

 

As they continue through the forest Ashe and Keir begin to struggle with their growing sense of unease.

  
"Uh, guys." Gregor called out after another hour of walking. He had also been growing concerned but for different reasons. "Does the forest seem… different to you?"

 

"Different how?" Markus asked. "It seems as forest-y as ever."

 

"Different like… like not the same forest, or the same forest but different."

 

"Mmmm…. Nope."

 

"You think it's the Necromancers?" Keir whispers.

 

Ashe suddenly stops walking. "I don't think we should go this way."

 

"Why?" Markus and Gregor ask in unison while Keir nods vigorously.

 

"I just… have a really bad feeling about it."

  
"Yes, bad!' The engineer agrees. "Very bad feeling. Like, super bad feeling!"

 

"A really bad feeling about the forest? Or going this way?"

 

"All of it! Just all of it."

 

Gregor leans closer to Markus and whispers. "Ashe is acting really weird."

 

"Yeah…" Markus agrees thoughtfully. Ashe had a tendency to get yelly but it wasn't like her to het so… scared. She was a bit more superstitious then most so maybe all the talk of necromancer's a stealing souls had gotten to her? Or more likely…

 

Markus tilts his head up slightly and inhales deeply. He wasn't entirely surprised to find the air tinged with the familiar scent of magic and… something else he couldn't quite identify. The magic was dark, uneasy and the additional… whatever it was made his spine tingle all the up to the base of his skull.

 

"We have to go." Ashe insisted again. "We have leave this forest." She turned and made to take a step in any direction that wasn't the way they were currently headed, but Markus caught her by the shoulders.   
  
"Oh no you don't. Ashe. I need you to take a deep breath and calm down. You too, buddy." He glances up at Keir who looked as ready to bolt as he was reluctant to be alone.

 

"Markus." Ashe tries to shake him off but he's determined to hold on to her so she just ends up dragging him back a few steps. "There's something really sinister in the forest-"

 

"Sinister!" Gregor snaps his fingers. "That's the word I was looking for! It’s still the same forest but more sinister." He nods his head proudly.

 

"The forest isn't sinister." Markus attempted to reason. "That's just the horrible fear haze talking."

 

"Fear haze?" Gregor asked, looking around and not seeing any haze.

 

"We totally have to get out of here." Keir says, sidling up closer to Markus and Ashe. "What if there are skeletons, man."

 

Markus freezes, a shiver crawls up his spine. "Skeletons?" He asks shakily before shaking his head and standing firm.  "There aren't any skeletons. We're in the middle of a forest. Skeletons don't like in the forest."

 

"But we're dealing with Necromancer's right? Can't they, like, control skeletons."

 

"Oh shit." Markus's eyes widen. "I hadn't even thought of that! They totally can! You're right we have to get out of here right now, We gotta go before we get got-"

 

"I don't wanna get got!"  
  
"Okay." Gregor sighed. "C'mon. " He picks up Markus with ease, slinging him over his shoulder, and puts and hand on Ashe's back between her shoulders to move her forward, herding Keir in the process. He moves them in the direction they were originally headed before any of could try to take off anywhere else. "We're going to keep going this way.

 

"But Skeletons, Gregor!" Markus cried, squirming uselessly in his grasp.

 

"Yup." The warrior answered, absently acknowledging the tiefling's protests. "Those sure are a thing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't great but we're getting there.


	3. Do you want some trail mix?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Gregor is the only capable adult.

"Gregor…?" Keir muttered quietly.

 

"Yeah?"

 

"It's dark." The engineer sniffled. The forest seemed to be growing darker around them and the uncertainty growing thicker in the air made it near impossible to tell if it was due to the passage of time or the forest making active attempts to choke out every ounce of light within it. Still Gregor refused to deviate from his plan, which at the moment was simply: Go East.

 

"Do you want some trail mix?" Gregor asked gently, as if soothing a small child. He thought back to how Keir had clung to the trail mix in the Prison of Light like a safety blanket.

 

"Yes…"

 

"Alright, buddy." He took the bag of trail mix out of his pocket and handed it to Keir.

 

"Can I get some of that too?" Markus asked over Gregor's shoulder.

 

Keir holds the bag up to the sorcelock and the two began to munch away at the snack. "You're right. It does help."

 

"Makes me feel safe."

 

Ashe remained quiet though at some point during the walk had drawn her blade. She seemed ready to pounce at the slightest noise and she was growing steadily more on edge as the forest got darker. Gregor already had to redirect her once. She made to bolt when a bird shrieked from somewhere in the canopy.

 

He expected this kind of erratic behavior from Keir and Markus who were prone to unpredictable bouts of panic and flamboyance ,but Ashe was usually more level headed then this. Admittedly he did feel a general sense of unease that had been creeping further up his spine the longer they trekked. Markus had mentioned something about a "horrible fear haze" before he and Keir started screaming about skeletons maybe that's why everyone was asking so weird.

 

 "Are we still headed East?" Keir asked, mouth full of nuts and berries.

 

Gregor stopped dead in his tracks. He'd been trying to shake off the feeling that he'd gotten them lost, knowing that he'd never once strayed from his path, but Keir stating his concerns outloud it out loud was enough to make Gregor truly second guess himself. "I… Are we?"

 

"See! That's it. That's why we have to go back!" Ashe began fussing again. "We have no idea where we're going or what to expect! How do we know this place even exists? No one at the port could even tell us for sure where it was! No one even knows it's name!"

 

"That's a good point." Markus added.

 

Gregor hummed thoughtfully. "No… No I'm pretty sure if we turn around _then_ we'll be lost. I think the Forest is trying to make us lost."

 

"You know." Markus said. "You might be on to something there, Gregor."

 

"It's the Necromancers, guys!" Keir gasped.

 

"Can they do that?" The tiefling asked, trying to look up from his dangling position.  He seemed to have calmed considerably during the journey, which Gregor was thankful for, but was now starting to squirm about all over again

 

"I dunno, man!" Keir cried. "You're our expert!"

 

"Guys! There are no Necromancers!" Ashe snapped. "There's probably not even a-"

 

"Town!" Gregor announced. The others had been so caught up in their discussion that they hadn't noticed Gregor continue to move them along.

 

"What?"   
 

"Where?" Markus began to fuss on Gregor's shoulder, much like a agitated cat. Gregor put him on his feet.

 

The trees thinned before their eyes, giving way to the small village that seemed to simply melt out of the forest. A few small wood and stone buildings stood proud looking every bit a part of the forest as the trees had. In front of them, what was less a path and more an area where the grass was more trampled then the rest split off in two directions on either side of them. One leading into what appeared to be homes, the light in the building glowed softly and smoke drifted from a chimney or two. On the other side buildings and stalls lined the clearing all completely dark aside from the stray lantern or two, still lit, hanging from a door or stall. It seemed the everyone, except a few night owls, had turned in for the night.

 

"I… A town…" Ashe muttered.

 

"Town might be generous." Markus observed.

 

"See!" Gregor said, proudly. "We made it all the way here and nothing happened. We didn't get lost, or trapped in a horrible ritual, or even have to fight a monster!" He slumped a little. "Though I was actually looking forward to that part. That's okay. No monsters is good too."

 

"It's okay buddy." Markus patted him on the shoulder. "You still might get to fight a monster."

 

"So what… uh. What happened back there?" Gregor asked. "I mean. The forest was weird but you guys… Well, Ashe, You were acting really weird."

 

"I." Ashe looked down at her the blade in her hands and sheathed it hastily. "I'm not sure. I couldn't think about anything but turning around a going home. I just, I felt like if we didn't turn back, something awful was going to happen to us."

 

"Yeah. That's fear haze for you."

 

"Fear haze?"

 

"Oh yeah. That place" Markus waved to the forest. "Is just covered in it."

 

"Was it… magic?"

 

"I don't know about Magic. But There's defiantly something in that forest that seemed to be enhancing our fears. I think you were right, Gregor, When you said the forest wanted us to get lost. I probably could have dispelled it or at least shielded us if I hadn't gotten sucked into it myself."

 

"I'm sorry about that, man." Keir sighed. "I think that was my fault. You were fine until is started up with the skeletons and-"

 

"I totally understand, buddy. Skeletons are a serious problem we should all be concerned about. Besides! Gregor got us here anyway!"

 

"Yeah… why weren't you affected by the fear stuff?" Ashe asked.

 

"I dunno." Gregor shrugged. "I just figured turning around and getting lost would be worse then… not doing that."

 

"Well, whatever happened." Markus, claps Gregor on the back. A gesture that makes very little impact. "You're our hero, Gregor!"

 

"Unless he's brought us right where the Necromancer's want us." Keir whispered.

 

At that Gregor's brow furrows. He glances around until his eyes land on a woman fussing with the sign hanging from the building directly in front of them.

 

"Excuse me, ma'am." He starts, walking up to her. "You're not a Necromancer are you?"

 

The woman stops what she's doing and glance over he shoulder at him. Her brow furrows. "A what?"

 

"You seem pretty alive. So I don't think you’re a soulless corpse being controlled by dark magic."

 

"I… am alive, yes…" She says, clearly confused and maybe a little afraid.

 

Gregor glanced back at his friends, who are slightly huddled together still under the sign still feeling the edge of the fear haze. "She's not a Necromancer!"

 

"See?" Markus says, glancing proudly between Keir and Aesling. "No Necromancers." With this apparent victory Markus saunters over to Gregor and the woman.

 

"Excuse me, ma'am, Madame?... Ma'am. We're looking for someone we think might have come through this town recently."

 

The woman eases. Much less put off by Markus. "I may not be the one to ask." She mutters. "I don't exactly keep tabs on the outsiders. Especially this time of year."

 

"Is there someone who does?"

 

"If it's an outsider your looking for you'll have the best luck at the Travelers Bar." She motions over to a building not far from where they stand, just before the main clearing gives way to homes. It's the most brightly lit building off all of those still serving patrons and even from there Markus and Gregor could hear the muffled din  of people conversing

 

"Uh. Traveler's Bar, huh? That's a little on the nose." Markus mused. The woman stares at him. "Okay. Well, to the bar it is." he motions to the others. "We're going to the bar!" He calls before sweeping off towards the building

 

Ashe perks up, hearing this and trots after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They made it! Now this OC circus can really begin.


	4. That was weird, right?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew have a friendly chat with the bar patrons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Links for pictures at the bottom!

Inside the bar was rather lively compared to the quiet calm of the village outside and especially compared to the usual emptiness of their own bar. The din of conversation was comforting and the atmosphere warm and inviting. All but few of the tables were occupied. Some by single patrons, most by groups drinking and talking amongst themselves. All bathed in a warm golden, and very likely, magical light shining from the lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

 

"Hello Aesling!" A familiar voice tore through the soft din across the bar and Ashe tensed.

 

"Seriously?!"

 

"Wow… Ol' Innie really gets around, huh." Markus mused.

 

"I… Ugh. Whatever. I'm going to get a drink…" Ashe, resigned, trudged over the to familiar barkeep.

 

"So ugh.. What now?" Keir asks. "Do we just go around asking people if they've seen a lady with a cursed Tattoo?"

 

Markus' hand rests on his sack where the etching of the tattoo rests inside. "Maybe we shouldn't start with the Tattoo. Lets work up to that. Excuse me!" Markus calls slipping through the crowd and making his way towards the bar. Keir, feeling braver now that he had shaken off the affects of the forest, followed his friends lead and greeted a random table but quickly backed away when he was met with three hard stares. After which he opted to stay close to Gregor who seemed undeterred by some of the scarier looking patrons.

 

Drink in hand Ashe moved away from the bar and surveyed the rest of the establishment. She found her group had already split up among the patrons. Markus had started on the other end of the bar and was chatting with a young man who was shaking his head. No answers there. Gregor and Keir where at a table near the door. Gregor seemed to be doing most of the talking with Kier occasionally cutting in to gesticulate wildly. She couldn't hear what he was saying but the men at the table were staring at him with mildly concerned expressions. Briefly she debated going over to intervene when her eyes landed on another table.

 

One largest groups in the bar, six men lounging around a single table that seemed to have trouble containing all the empty glasses scattered around. Peels of laughter erupted form the table periodically and occasionally one of the men would lean back in his chair and shoot a comment or two at the table behind him. They didn't seem to know him. "Have to start somewhere, I guess." She mutters, making her way over to the group. They seemed like they'd be easy enough to talk to.

 

One of them notices her approach. Bright eyes lock with hers and hold steady a she nears. His silence alerts two of the other men to her presence and soon they're all watching her by the time she stops at their table.

 

"Uhm. Hi." She says, feeling uneasy with 6 pairs of eyes trained on her.

 

"Yeah?" One of them greets with a crooked grin. His voice is high but scratchy like it sounded damaged. He easily took up the most space at the table. Broad shoulders and barrel chested, thick muscles covered only by a tattered shall draped over his shoulders. He was also covered, at least what Ashe could see of him from his seat, in thick black and white body paint. All of them were. His face was painted mostly black with the T area along his nose a forehead highlight in white. The white paint was also drawn along his jawline and from under his shawl she could see that his arms were white up to his elbows where his left had black tendrils climbing up to his elbow and on his right they stopped just past his wrist.

 

"What can we do for you, child?" Another man asked. He seemed to pick up on her unease and adopted a much softer, caring tone. He sat to the large man's right. Visibly smaller and much less built, this man held a soft and reassuring smile on his face. It appeared that he was one of a set of twins as the man next to him looked exactly the same is every way down to their own body paint. Which was thick and black aside form the white smudged around their eyes and stricken along their sides and arms, a small white dot sat on their foreheads while a much larger one was drawn where their clavicles met.  The other, while not unfriendly, didn't look quite to inviting.

 

"Uhm. Yeah. I'm actually. Me and my friends are looking for someone and we were told we might be able to find her here."

 

"We're here often enough." He said. "We may be of some assistance. I trust you know what this woman looks like?"

 

"Oh! Yeah! You'd probably know if you saw her. She's really tall with long white hair."

 

The larger man's grin grows wider and he leans back in his chair while the wiry man next to him have a snort of laugher. His body paint was mostly white with black painted around his eyes and along his jaws, cheeks, bottom lip, and stretched from the inside of his hands along the underside of his arms where it disappeared under the short sleeves of his stretched out black shirt. The Twin that had spoke shot the others a disapproving look while his brother gave a wry smile.

 

"What?" She blinks.

 

"I'm afraid." One of the twin started once the others had calmed their snickering. "You'll have to be more specific."

 

Ashe furrowed her brow before surveying the table once more. With the exception of the twins, who were completely bald, all the men at the table had white hair. 3 of them wore it past their shoulders. She glanced up and around the bar. At a few of the other tables scattered around the bar she could see full heads of hair as white as her own. "…oh..."

 

"You got a name for us, hun?" The wiry man, bright eyes who had alerted her to the rest of the table, propped his chin up on his hand. He grinned and she couldn't help but feel like he was making fun of her.  
  
Ashe paused. A name. He never told them her name. He never told them HIS name! How could they not have a name!? They were hired to find a woman by her fiancé and they didn't know her name!

 

"Oh gods." She drops her head into her hands. "We're terrible at this."

  
"What's up, Ashe?" Markus appears over Ashe's shoulder. "Any luck?"

 

"We don't know her name, Markus." Ashe grumbles at the floor.

 

"…Oh." Markus sighs and his eyes seems to loose focus. "Wow. We are terrible."

 

"We really are."

 

By now all but the bald men were snickering at the two.

 

"Oh! " Ashe motioned wildly  to Markus, now determined to salvage the situation. "The Tattoo! She has a tattoo!"

 

Markus glanced up at the table and glanced around the men who had all gone eerily quiet, eyeing them curiously. "Here." He pulled the paper out of his sack. "She's got one of these one her shoulder."

 

The atmosphere around the men changed suddenly as they took in the image on paper. The

Large man's grin shifted from boyish and jovial to something more malevolent. He held his hand out for the paper. Markus handed it over and the man snorted again but this time the laughter in it was much more subdued. "Looks like their lookin' for you, Balis."

 

The wiry man leaned over and studied the image before his grin returned. Balis looked up at the group and pulled down the collar of his shirt to expose his shoulder A black outline of the same image could be seen through the white body paint.

 

"Seriously?!" Ashe sighed, exasperated. They were sure these traits would make finding this woman exceedingly easy. After all a 6 foot tall woman with whit hair and a weirdly specific tattoo. They'd spot her a mile away. Apparently not. Apparently these things were all woefully common and of no significance at all. What else could they possible give them that would separate her from all the other white haired woman with that exact tattoo.

 

"BEAR!" Markus and Ashe let out a scream as Keir appeared loudly behind them. "He said she wears a bear pelt!"

 

At that recognition sparked through the group at the table. "Mollie." At least three of them said in unison.

 

"Molly?" Ashe perked up. Finally, they were getting somewhere.

 

"Yes." One of the twins plucked the paper from the imposing man's hands. "She lives at the edge of town. Beyond the shops."

 

Balis stood suddenly, cutting off whatever else the man was going to say. He wiped his hands on his pants and sighed.  "Fun as this's been, I have something I need to go do." He jabbed thumb to the door. "I'll catch up with you later." He said to his friends giving the biggest a pat on the should as he walked by. The twins gave him a nod and other two men waved him away.

 

"Wait." Markus furrowed his brow. "She lives here?"

 

"You didn't know?" Asked the twin who wasn't holding the paper.

 

"We though she was just passing through.." Ashe added.

 

The table went quiet as the men exchanged glances. Finally the large one leaned forward on his elbows. "Whado'ya want with'er?"

 

"Her fiancé sent us to look for her!" Gregor chimed helpfully.

 

The man's brow rose. "Her-

 

The twin without the paper held out a hand to silence him. "He must be worried."

 

"Well…" Ashe started

 

Markus hummed and hand a shaky motion with his hand.

 

"I see… And he gave this to you?" The man motioned to the paper in his brothers hand.

 

"Yeah. Actually," Markus reached over to take it. "Could I-?"

 

The man lifted his gaze from the paper to Markus but made no move otherwise. Finally he handed it back when he brother nudged him an urging nudge with his elbow.

 

"Right." Markus said, folding up the paper and slipping it back in the sack. "Thank you, so much, for your help gentleman. Now we must be off!" He gave them a flourishing bow before motion for the others to follow him.

 

The twins nodded and the other men went back to talking among themselves, more quietly now. Except the largest one, who watched the group intently as they made their way out of the bar.

 

"That was weird, right?" Markus asked when were outside the bar.

 

"Yeah man," Keir chimed. "Really weird. Like. Watch our backs weird."

 

"They were acting pretty suspicious." Gregor mused.

 

Ashe shook her head. "Lets just go talk to, Mollie, okay? So we can get out of here and go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the grand introduction of man's 1 and 2 the lineless. 
> 
> ALSO
> 
> For those who care I've got pictures of some of these nerds!  
> The Big guy (https://66.media.tumblr.com/4712443c9d820d8e901ba4622fbe10bb/tumblr_odtxdsyTgg1tteru1o1_540.png)  
> The twins! https://68.media.tumblr.com/8d5d3103f6609386075ec710621c68c9/tumblr_odtxiscqvB1tteru1o1_540.png  
> None of Balis yet. Cause he doesn't have any fancy full body pictures and the shit doodles I have of him aren't relevant till next chapter!


	5. That's a nice thing you've got there

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It really could have gone better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More links to pictures in the end notes!

The Nine Shrines crew made their way down line of stalls and shops, all dark at this time of night. Nothing moved except for the occasional shadow within the buildings as the inhabitants shuffled around in their nightly routine. One door creaked open as the woman inside reached out to turn out the lantern hanging by her door. She gave them a small nod goodnight before retreating back into the building.

 

Mollie's home was much like the others. Mostly wood and stone. Small but sturdy. Hanging beads and chimes clinked and tinkled as the wind swept through them. The door was engraved with many strange symbols, the most central of which matched the image of the tattoo Markus held in his pouch. "Well, this has to be the place."

 

Markus lifted his hand to knock and Keir moved closer to hide behind Gregor. Before the sorcelock's knuckles could make contact with the wood the door opened and a tall, lean man stepped out. He was wearing a stretched out black shirt and tight black pants. Every inch of exposed skin was covered in black and white body paint. Though the thing the caught the groups attention was the large Rabbit like skull he wore over his face, bleached white and completely bare bone except for long white fluffy, floppy that ears dangled well past his shoulders. He stopped in his tracks bright eyes momentarily wide with surprise before he grinned wide beneath the skull. "You didn't waste any time, did you?"

 

Markus was the first to snap out of his daze. "Neither did you…" He observed. "Balis, right?" The man shrugged. "That's a… This" The Tiefling motioned around his own face. "That's a really nice thing you've got there."

 

Balis gave an amused snort and moved past them. "Good luck!" He called over a his shoulder as he melted away into the darkness.

 

The four shared glances between eachother before Markus once again turned to rap his knuckles against the door. This time when it opened they were greeted by a woman. She, like the others was covered in black and white body paint. On her head sat what appeared to be a the Skull of a bear. Though unlike Balis' rabbit mask it didn't cover her face but hung about it like a visor. Down the back of the skull draped a brown pelt that swept down to her ankles. She regarded them for a moment.

 

"Mollie?" Markus tried.

 

"You're the people who are looking for me." She said. 

 

"Yeah. We were-"

 

"You can leave."

 

Markus stammered.

 

"What?"

 

"Whoever sent you, whatever they want. I don't have it. I'm not interested. You can leave. Tell them it was a waste of time."

 

"Hold on! Wait-! Ah-ha…." He cringed as she closed the door right on his foot as he tried to stop her from locking them out. "We're looking for you. You're fiancé sent-"

 

The door flew open "My what?"

 

"You're fiancé-"

 

Her eyes narrowed at him. "My Fiancé sent you to find me." It wasn't a question.

 

"He hired us to see if you got got by monsters." Keir chimed in. "I mean, obviously you didn't, but it's okay. He doesn't know.

 

"Hired you…" Mollie hissed. "I don't have a fiancé."

 

Markus pauses at this and glances back at the others. "Are… are you sure? I mean the forest out there is drenched in mind altering magic. Maybe it… made you forget?"

 

The woman stares at Markus and then glances behind him at his companions for help. They seemed equally interested in her answer. "I'm positive."

 

"But he knew about your tattoo." Gregor muttered, brow furrowed.

 

"The Tattoo that guy, and who knows who else also have." Ashe muttered as she started to piece thing together

 

"And about the bear pelt."

 

"He didn't know her name, Gregor." Ashe's head once again fell into her hands. "He didn't tell us her name because he didn't know her name."

 

"I don't know who this guy is or what he offered you." Mollie said, leaning against her doorframe. "But I… I think you may be wasting your time…" She paused and seemed to think for a moment. "You said he knew about my tattoo?"

 

"Yeah." He pulled out the paper with her tattoo drawn on it. "He gave us this."

 

Mollie's demeanor shifted suddenly. She drew herself back, eyes wide. "Someone gave you that?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Physically handed it to you? To take with you. To find me." Realization crept into her eyes as something seemed to dawn on her.

 

"Yeeesss…?"

 

"And you brought it here?!" The woman suddenly seemed to panic.

 

"Woah now-"

 

"Get rid of that it!" She growled. "Destroy it! Get out of here! Get away from my house! Leave now!" She roared. Her eyes briefly crackled with a bright green energy before she slammed the door with a resounding bang.

 

"Wait! Mollie, wha-" Ashe tried to intervene and was nearly hit in the nose with the door.

 

"That went well." Markus muttered, staring down at the paper.

 

"What now?" Keir asked. "Do we… go home?"

 

"What?" Ashe looked up at him. "We can't leave."

 

"Why not?" The engineer looked truly confused.

 

"Because she needs help." Gregor said as if it were the obvious answer.

 

"That didn't sounds like a plea for help to me."

 

"No it was. She just doesn't know it yet."

 

"Is that how it works?"

  
"And" Ashe added. "Either Molly or the guy who sent us to find her is lying and before we need to find out why before we go back to Thog empty handed… again."

 

Markus put the paper away and straightened out. "They're right bud. We can't leave. There's something going on here and we're going to find out what. So. I vote we find somewhere to stay for the night and try to find out more in the morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BALIS! Who I drew a fancy full body picture for~ (https://66.media.tumblr.com/2addce657918d21f00b162c1f0369538/tumblr_odvl6dZ8ss1tteru1o1_540.png)
> 
> And Molls (https://68.media.tumblr.com/8f8e76f10ea6b4ab6d077a311a0f740f/tumblr_odvlav6Vfp1tteru1o1_540.png)


	6. Okay. Here's the plan.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Keir does not understand the core concept of whispering.

As it turned out the houses on the other side of the town weren't just the homes of the locals but a fair amount of them also functioned as inns and rest stops. A few of the locals had opened their homes to travelers, allowing them to stay in empty beds and share their meals for a price. They crew found a particularly cozy stay with a couple who owned one of the larger homes in town. With four empty rooms. Two had already been taken up, one of which by one of the painted white haired people. They'd caught a glimpse of her while making their way up stairs.

 

The next morning, Ashe, who had taken one of the rooms for herself while the boys shared the other, met her friends in their room to discuss the events of the night before. They all sat in a circle on top of the large two person bed that Keir and Markus were referring to, once again, as Bigbed. 

 

"What I don't understand." Ashe muttered. "Is why he would lie about being her Fiancé."

 

"Yeah. That's not a thing people just do… is it?" Keir asked.

 

"No." Markus answered. "Definitely not."

 

"Maybe." Gregor mused. "It has something to do with the tattoo."

 

"You think?"

 

"Well. She got really freaked out when you showed her the picture and the guys at the bar get really weird when you showed them."

 

"True."

 

Ashe blinked. "That doesn't… make any sense though." She said slowly. "They have that tattoo on their bodies. At least we know for sure one of them does. So why would it scare them?"

 

The boys hummed thoughtfully.

 

"What if… it's not the tattoo that's bothering them." Keir tried. "What if it's the actual picture of it." The others look up at him expectantly and he shrinks back a little. "I mean, c'mon!" Keir laughs nervously. "That guy didn't even think twice about showing us his and the bear lady's got it on her door! She didn't get all screamy until you showed her the picture of it.?

 

"That's silly." Gregor said. "Why would they be afraid of paper? Paper can't hurt them."

 

"We're definitely missing something." Markus decided. "But I think you might be on the right track, Kier."

 

"I want to talk to Mollie." Ashe chimed suddenly.

 

Keir pulled a face. "She wasn't really on board with that idea last night."

 

"Well, yeah. But that's because she thinks we're working for some guy pretending to be her fiancé."

 

"…?" Keir puts up a finger and opens his mouth to speak. Lowers his hand. Raises it again then finally asks. "Aren't we?"

 

"Not… technically. We agreed to help someone find their missing Fiancé. But since he's not her fiancé and she's not really missing, exactly, the contracts aren’t valid anymore. So we don't actually work for anyone right now."

 

The others stare at her.

 

"You've been spending a lot of time with Thog." Markus noted.

 

"What?!" Ashe huffed indignantly. "These things are good to know! But I think if we can just clear things up and really talk to her then she might be able to tell us what's going on."

 

"I'd like to ask around with the locals and see what they can tell me about our white haired friends." Markus said, leaning back on Bigbed. "I mean they can't be a concidence.  We’re sent to look for a woman with a necromantic symbol tattooed on her and the almost everyone in town walks around looking just like her-"

 

"Their totally Necromancers." Keir whispered loudly.  "I mean have you _seen_ them!? I didn't even know what a Necromancer was a day ago but I'm pretty sure that's what they look like."

 

Markus holds up a hand. "I agree. They are really mancer-y. But that's also whats got me curious. If they are the very same Necromancers from the stories I'm interested to know what they're doing here. It seems unlikely that they've just been hanging out at a bar in a rinky dink little village for the past 50 years."

 

"And we have to stop them from doing anything to hurt the people in in the town." Gregor added.

 

"Like steal their souls!" Keir fretted loudly. "Guys! We've been talking to them all night! They know we know! What if they take our souls to keep us quiet."

 

"SHHHHH!" Markus and Ashe pounced him covering his mouth with their hands.

 

"Keir!" Ashe scolded. "First off we don't know that they plan on stealing any souls. Second." She leaned in close and hissed. "One of them is staying in this house and they will hear you if you keep yelling."

 

Keir whimpered as Ashe and Markus released him. "We're gunna get got…"

 

A knock at the door caused Keir to scream which in turn startled Ashe and Markus.

 

"Gods, Keir!" Ashe gasped, smacking Kier on the shoulder as Gregor stood to answer the door. "Don't do that!"

 

"Hello." A very thin, very tall woman stood at their door. She wore a tattered black cloak and her face and neck were covered with a now familiar white body paint with black Smudge around her eyes and bottom lip and a line of dots trailing down the center of her forehead to disappear below the neck of her cloak. Her Long white hair pulled into a haphazard ponytail.

 

"Hi!" Gregor greeted with surprising cheeriness considering the events just prier to her knocking.

 

She gave a small hesitant smile and glanced past him to the others then stared down at her painted white hands folded in front of her. "The Ferellies asked me to inform you the breakfast is ready." She picked at the black paint on her knuckles for a moment, seeming reluctant to meet their gaze again. "You'd better hurry if you want any. It goes quickly."

 

"Okay! Thanks." She nodded and turned to leave but Gregor stopped her with an after thought. "Is there anything with no meat?"

 

She paused for a moment before offering a more genuine smile. "Of course."

 

"Cool!" And with that she rounded the corner beyond their door and the sound of bare feet on wooden stairs could be heard fading into the distance. "She seemed nice." He said turning back to his friends.

 

"Duuuuuude." Keir whisper yelled. "That was a Necromancer!"

 

Markus walked up and inspected Gregor closely. "Do you feel… anything?"

 

"Nope!"

 

"Do you think she heard us?!" Keir turned to Ashe and continued to whisper ineffectively.

 

"Gods I hope not." Ash Groaned. "Necromancers or not we probably shouldn't go around insulting people."

 

Downstairs they found a full spread set up buffet style for breakfast. Breads, spreads, eggs and much more sat waiting for the taking. All thoughts of Necromancer's and soul stealing fled at the sight. Keir hurried over to the food, took a plate for himself and began loading up, Markus followed close behind.

  
Ashe took the moment to look around at the people they were sharing the house with. Almost immediately she spotted the white haired woman from before and was actually surprised to find that hers was the only head of white hair in the room, not counting Ashe herself. She was sure there would be more then one just based on the sheer amount of them there had been at the bar. The woman was at the other end of the buffet looking over a tray of sweets swaying lightly and humming to herself. She actually look fairly serene. Everyone else looked… fairly normal. A group that were clearly travelers from an exotic land, based on their brightly colored and flowing clothing, crowded around on table and she spotted a few people who must have been locals who likely came in for the food spread sitting at another. The family running the 'inn' was scattered around talking with guests, cleaning, and replacing empty plates on the table.

 

All in all it was rather cozy and no one else actually seemed very put off by the white haired woman. She picked her treat, added it to her plate and moved away from the table. As she passed them she tapped lightly on her plate with her fork to whatever music was playing in her head. Everyone she passed acknowledged her in some way. "Good morning, Anna!" One of the locals called as she passed their table. She gave them a friendly smile and a wave. One of the adventurers at the other table even waved as her as she took her seat at a table alone.

 

Ashe looked up and caught Markus's eye. He had also been following Anna's movements and looked thoughtful.  The two shrugged, deciding that was something for after they'd eaten.

 

The food was delightful and Gregor has been pleased to find that most of the selections available were vegetarian friendly with plenty of potato to pick from. Keir purposefully took the seat that would have him facing Anna since he didn't quite feel brave enough to let his back face her. Markus had hoped to grill the Ferellies about what they knew but with one of the potential Necromancer's so close and remembering how Mollie had reacted to them he decided against it.

 

Once they had finished they group decided on their respective courses of action. Ashe was determined to talk to Mollie again and Markus was keen on gathering what information he could from the locals while Gregor wanted to go looking around the village for any signs of malicious doing by the mysterious 'necromancers' so he could put a stop to it before anyone could get hurt. "You wanna come with, Kier?" Markus offered when Kier didn't seem very interested in Mancer hunting.

 

"Uh… You know what." Keir started. "I think I'm just gunna… you know look around. This is your thing. I'm just here to add an extra 10 grand to the payout and that's fine, but since we're probably not going to get it anyway and all this… Undead army soul steally mancer-y stuff. It's not really for me. I think I'm just going to enjoy the town. It seems pretty nice. Totally scream if you need me though!" He flashes them a thumbs up

 

"You got it, buddy!" Markus agreed, returning the gesture. "Don't get got!"

 

"You don't get got either! No one get got!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No pictures of Anna! Later though!


	7. Engage the Exposition Machine!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Markus and Ashe ask the tough questions.

Ashe and Markus walked along line of shops and stalls.

 

"You really think Mollie will be much help?" Markus asked doubtfully.

 

"Well yeah. There was obviously something she wasn't telling us last night and it's because she doesn't trust us. If I can explain the situation to her and show her we just want to help, maybe she'll give us something."

 

Markus hummed. "But what if she's the one lying?"

 

"Why would she be?"

 

Markus shrugged. "Why would he?"

 

Ashe sighed. "Either way we won't know more if we don't try."

 

"Good luck." Markus said, slowing his pace. "I think I'm going to hang around here for a while."

 

-

 

Ashe once again approached the small tinkling house at the edge of town. She took a deep breath and knocked. Maybe she would have better luck by herself. Her friends were great but all four of them at once could maybe be a bit much. 

 

It took a few moments but the door slid open sending chimes and beads tinkling pleasantly. "What can I do fo-" She stopped short when her eyes landed on Ashe. "It's you. I thought you left."

 

Ashe shook her head. "We couldn't."

 

"If it's the forest all you have to do-"

 

"It's not the forest. I just, I really wanted to talk to you."

 

"I told you I don't have a fiancé! I'm not going anywhere with y-"

 

"No, no no! It's not that either. I don't want to take you anywhere. I just want to talk. I promise."

 

Mollie seemed to consider this for a moment. She looked Ashe up and down a few times before sighing and stepping back into her house. Ashe smiled gratefully and followed. The inside of the house was just as cozy as the rest of the town. Everything in the small living room Ashe found herself in was plush and pastel and handmade with all the same beads and trinkets hanging from the ceiling like they were outside. A small chandelier hung from the ceiling over the small table that sat between two large plush love seats. Ashe noted the door in the wall across from the window with a marking not unlike the infamous tattoo they've been chasing.  Molly draped her Bear pelt over one of them, allowing long white hair to escape the prison of the skull and cascade down her back. Ashe hesitantly took the other chair.

 

"Do you…" Molly heaved a sigh. "Would you like some tea?"

 

Ashe smiled and nodded. "That would be nice."

 

-

 

Markus stood in the grassy road for a moment after Ashe carries on ahead and surveys the area around him. Some of the shops were starting to come to life around them as the day began to pick up. More and more of the white haired people began to crawl out of the wood works. Many of them were painted up like all the ones they'd met so far though he did spot one or two that weren't and was surprised to find they were actually very tan under all that stuff they slathered on. He even spotted one or two clothed in white rather then the black they'd seen on everyone up to now. Though the ones that stood out the most were the one who appeared to be wearing animal and monster skulls over their heads like helmets and masks. He recalled Molly's bear skull and Balis's giant floppy rabbit ears. Definitely something to ask about later.

 

It wasn't just them. There were plenty of people easily identifiable as local by their lack of weapons and more homely attire as opposed to the tattered black and white garb of the white haired people or the groups that were obviously travelers in their gear and armor. He wondered briefly how these people managed to get here. If they'd had the same problems with the magic in the forest that he and his friends had.

 

His gaze landed on one of the small shops that, admittedly was no more remarkable then any of the others. The sign hanging next to the door read "Harriet's antiques" and had a little painting of a smartly dressed parrot with a monocle. How adorable. With an amused smile Markus pushed open the door. The small ding of a bell sounded as he did so and soon after a woman emerged from the back. The shop with filled to the brim with old and ancient looking artifacts and furniture. Markus took a deep breath and found under the dust and metal the unmistakable smell of magic. Perfect.

 

"What can I do for you, sugar?" The woman asked, setting down the small brass orb in her hand on the counter.

 

"Hello!" Markus flashed his charming smile and strobe up to the counter. "I am the great Markus Velafi! You may have heard of me."

 

The woman gave him a wry smile. "Can't say I have. Wouldn’t be to upset about it though. We don't catch wind of much here. Harriet."

 

Markus deflates a little but sees he chance. "The Hariet?" He asked, motioning to the door.

 

"Very same."

 

"So this town. It's pretty isolated, huh?"

 

"Yeah. Didn't used tah be." She shook her head. "But we do what we can. Speakin' a that." She leans forward and eyes him closely eyes darting to his horns then around his face. "I ain't never seen you here before."

 

"Oh. No. This is our first time. I'm actually surprised there are so many travelers. The Forest doesn't exactly make it easy."

 

"Sure doesn't. Most a the travelers here today have been comin' here since before the forest went mad. They could get here with their eyes closed and their hands tied."

 

"So it hasn't always been like that?"

 

"No." Harriet sighed. "That nonsense started 'bout 15 years ago. No one knows what caused it but it's been a thorn in our side ever since. Nearly shut us down."

 

"I've been wondering, how exactly does a little shopping town like this one come to exist in the middle of the forest?"

 

"Oh!" Hariet laughed. "Yer askin' history now? There used tah be a trail through the forest that merchants would take to get from the port to the city on the other side. "She motions vaguely to the east. "This clearing here is right at the halfway point and the merchants would stop here and rest up. But it wasn't just merchants. Travelers and Adventurers would come this way too." She motioned to Markus. "So some of 'em got the bright idea to set up small shops so sell food and potions, small stuff. To the travelers looking to stop and rest for the night. It was the Ferellies family that opened the first rest house there so travelers to sleep in a real bed and get a warm meal before carrying on through to wherever they was goin'. From there…" She shrugged and spread her arms. "Eventually everything you'd need was just right there and people started just, stayin'"

 

Markus nodded. So the town itself was fairly innocent. He wondered if maybe their painted friends had something to do with the weirdness in the forest. "Do you have any books… Maybe of the magical kind?"

 

"Oh yeah!" Harriet jabbed her thumb to a door that led to yet another room of objects and baubles. "You lookin for magical books or books about magic?"

 

Markus' eyes lit up and he grinned. "Both!"

 

Hariet laughed. "This way." She led him through the door. The room beyond was smaller, less cluttered, and considerably more magical then the front of the store. "Magical books are in the cabinet." She motions to a silver and glass ornate cabinet filled with books of various styles and authors. "Books about magic are on the shelf next to it."

 

"Hariet." Markus said, rubbing his hands together and leaning in close to the cabinet. "This may be the beginning of a sordid love affair."

 

Harriet laughed and leaned her hip against a table covered in various glass and crystal figures.

 

-

 

Mollie handed a the cup to Ashe and sat across from her, her own cup in hand. The woman took a long sip from her own tea before setting the cup down on the table and fixing Ashe with an expectant gaze.

 

"uhm. So." Ashe took a sip of her own tea and her eyebrows shot up. "This is good!"

 

Mollie shrugs modestly.

 

"So. You. You live here?"

 

Mollie nods.

 

"And the others? We talk to you friends at the bar. With the rabbit…. Thing?"

 

"Balis and Errin probably. No they don't live here. They just visit."

  
"And the twins?"

 

"They are here often enough, But I'm the only one with a home here."

 

"That guy, The one who hired us-" Ashe paused when Mollie leaned back in her chair and made a small annoyed sound. "He made it seem as if you didn't. He said you would travel here from time to time but…"

 

"No."

 

"Yeah. I see that now." Ashe placed her cup on the table. "Mollie. I know you don't want to talk about it… But…" She sighed. "do you know anything about… any of this?"

 

Mollie clicked her tongue. "I don't know. I don't know why you were hired and I don't know why he hired you. I don't know what he wants."

 

"Well…" Ashe paused trying to find the best way to broach this without causing the woman to shut down completely. "Last night it kind of seems like you might know something. You did get pretty… worked up when we showed you the picture."

 

Mollie shifted again placed her elbow on the armrest of her chair and balanced her chin in her fingers. She fixed Ashe with a steady stare. The topographer looked back though with less intensity. She found herself unable or unwilling to look away. It was as if she was locked in a stare down with some kind of animal and anything that could be perceived as a weakness would get her mauled.

 

Finally Mollie sighed, breaking the tension if only slightly. "I can't help you."

 

Ashe shook her head. "It's not about helping us." She insisted. "We're trying to help you."

 

The white haired woman narrowed her eyes.

 

"This guy. Whoever he is. He lied to us about. About why he wanted us to come here and about you and I think you're scared of him." Ashe barreled on boldly. She paused only briefly when Mollie cocked her head. "And my friend. The blonde one. He says that guy is super magical. So he could be dangerous. And if he is. If your in trouble, especially because of us! We want to help."

 

Mollie sat back again and looked over her shoulder at nothing in particular. She huffed, and her eyes trailed down to her tea then back to Ashe. "You don't know anything about me."

 

"Do I have to?"

 

Again the room fell silent and Molly idly fidgeted with her cup.

 

"I know it's a lot. A still have trouble with it too. But I… I'm asking you to trust me." Ashe fixed Molly with a determined stare. "My name's Aesling, by the way."

 

Mollie sucked on the inside of her cheek while she considered Ashe's words. "Mayasynth." She said.

 

Ashe's brow rose. "Is that your…"

 

Mollie nodded, her eyes trained on her tea.

 

Ashe smiled. Progress. This is good. "So this guy?" She urged.

 

Mollie took a deep breath but didn't say anything for a moment. "I apologize." She said after a while. "I'm still uncertain how much I should tell you."

 

-

 

"So." Markus started as he reached for the cabinet. A spark jumped between the knob and his fingers giving his a harsh shock. "AH!"

 

"Oops." Harriet sprang to her feet. "I always forget. Tieflings and holy magic don't mix." She pulled open the door herself. It swung open easily. "It's blessed."

 

Markus nodded his thanks and reached for one of the books. Hesitantly this time. "You said the forest wasn't always like that?"

 

"Nah." She waved a hand dismissively. "Happened recently. Some of out regulars started coming  through talking about how the forest had changed. It was fighting them. Trying tah turn 'em around and scare 'em off. Get 'em lost. It got worse over the years business slowed and soon only our most devoted of passers through were all we had. Some stopped using the forest to travel all together. Then the monsters started prowlin'. We were certain this place was going to be a ghost town."

 

"Monsters?" Markus looked up from the book her was leafing through. "So there are monsters?"

 

"Oh yeah. Tons of 'em."

 

"We didn't run into a single one on the way here."

 

"Yeah, I know!" Harriet grinned broadly. "Ain't it great?"

 

"The town looks pretty lively today." Markus noted.

 

"Yeah that tends to happen this time a year."

 

"You're the second person to say that." He recalled what the first woman they'd spoken to had said. 'especially not this time of year' "What exactly is this time of year?"

 

"You mean you don't know? I thought that's why you lot was here." Markus shook his head. "There's a festival a wares, they call it. Happens here twice a year. The locals and whatever traveling merchants can make it here pull out their more… exotic stock to trade and sell for a weekend. It's been one of the primary sources of funds for our town for a few years now." 

 

"Really?" Markus asks, finding himself genuinely interested. "When's it start?"

 

"Tonight's the first night. It's why I got this room unlocked. Usually I keep it barred up where no one who don't know what their lookin at can get to it."

 

Markus replaced the book and picked out another. This one vibrated with energy. "So what happened?"

 

"With what?"

 

Markus shrugged. "All of it. The monsters. The forest. Looks like you managed an impressive recovery."

 

"Well the answer to all of it is the same." She glanced out the doorway to the windows in front of the shop. A group of the painted individuals were gathering in the road in front of one of the shops across the way. 3 or 4 of them sat on the steps while two more were picking at the grass in front of them. They all seemed to be waiting for something. "It was them."

 

Markus thought for a moment. So these people where something to this town. They weren't local it didn't seem but they seemed to have a connection non the less. "How so?"

 

"Well. A few years ago they just kinda started showin' up."

 

"A few years ago… when the forest 'went mad'?"

 

"Oh no. A few years after that. 3 or 4. We was real down on our luck. The travelers had all but stopped coming save for the few determined few. Shops was shuttin' down. None a the suppliers would come in the forest anymore what with the monsters and madness. There was no food. No money. No medicine. People was getting real sick but we couldn't leave. Whatever was keepin' our clientele out was keepin' us in. People tried to leave but would either get lost or come stumblin' back into town scared outta their minds. Then, one day two of em just… show up at the gates. They was the first. Big guys painted in all black, glowin' green eyes."

 

"Twins?"

 

"Yeah! They're real hard to miss. They come around a lot. I think where ever it is they come from it must be close. Anyway they was the first. They came to town and seemed just as surprised to find us here as we was to see the likes a them. They stayed few a night or two, talking to people bought a thing or two an left. We all just kinda though 'well that was weird' but figured that was the end of it."

 

"Obviously it wasn't."

 

"Nope. Few days later more of em cropped up. They'd come through stay a night buy some wars and leave. Sometimes those two'd show up again and people kinda looked forward to it. They was real nice helped ol' miss Baylee fix her sign one time after the wind knocked it over."

 

Markus cocked his head. This wasn't at all what he was expecting. Though it did explain the friendly way Anna had been received by the locals this morning. And the fact that no one seemed bothered by their presence as unnerving as it was.

 

"One day they brought another of 'em can't say I've seen him since. He was another big one. They're all pretty big," She added motioning to the door. It was true most of the painted people seemed to tower of the locals. Like they were genetically predisposed to be human trees. "But some of 'em just got a presence, you know? Makes 'em twice as big as the others. But this one. We never saw his face covered himself in this giant tent of a cloak. Feathers and bones and all kindsa stuff hanging from him."

 

If that didn't just scream "Necromancer" Markus wasn't sure what did.

 

"They asked if they could see some a the sick ones. And being desperate a few families let 'em in to their houses. He visited everyone who'd let 'em and left just like they did the first day. Then a few days later they was back with all jars of all kindsa stuff. Pastes, herbs, liquids and they just handed 'em out. Saved a bunch of lives that day. A course some didn't make it and others they couldn't help but we was grateful anyway. We tried to pay 'em but all they wanted was seeds."

 

"Seeds?"

 

"Yeah. Like, fruits and stuff. They took a bunch. I remember the older folks being scared cause we couldn't really afford to lose those recourses at the time but they'd helped us a lot so we felt like we owed em our lives…"

 

"It all worked out, didn't it?"

 

"Oh! Better 'an we ever though! Life went on much the same as before but now with them wandering around more often. They were a pretty big help. With them visiting so often and buying stuff and staying at the inns they were kinda pickin' us up. They weren't gunna keep us alive on their own but they were helpin' a lot. After a couple a weeks later a dozen or so of 'em headed up by the twins marched through the gates with baskets of food. They musta grew up the seeds they took and they were given us back some of the harvest. It was a best a lot of us ate since the forest turned on us. They didn't want no real payment, though they did keep takin' our seeds when we managed to get em."

 

"Wow! So you… They've really helped you guys a lot."

 

"Mhmm. They was the ones what started the festival. There're some we don't see unless the festival is goin' you seen the ones that wear animals around?" Markus nodded. "They only come 'round certain times during the year. Well, aside from Mollie up the way."

 

"You know Mollie?" Markus asked.

 

"Sure. Everyone does. Been livin' here a few years now. The twins is here all the time and their bunch and the big loud guy comes around from time to time with his groups but they usually just show up to clean out the sweets shop across the way."

 

Markus glanced back up to the window. The door of the shop they'd been waiting outside of was open and all of them had disappeared inside.

 

"'Parrently it was originally so they could gather somewhere and do kinda a swap meet or something and figured out little market town was a good place to do it. They offered to pay us for our trouble but at that point they'd helped us out so much we just let em do it. Turns out it was good for us too. They didn't just trade among themselves. They traded with what few travelers we was still gettin' and bought from us. It was real nice and pretty fun, actually. Kinda like the way things eusta be. Sure some of 'em get a little rowdy sometimes but it's fine. It kept up like that. Twice a year they'd gather here and have themselves are party and after a while more travelers started showin up for it. New ones. Who faught their way through the madness in the forest or bein lead by others who knew the way to see the kinda weird and rare stuff these guys would sell and trade. Merchants with expensive and exotic merchandise started showin' up to sell as well and now it's the busiest time a year."

 

Markus absorbed all of this. So they weren't gathering for some kind of crazy ritual of death. They were gathering for a market festival. 'I wonder what I'd find at a festival like that.' Markus mused. "What about the monster?"

 

"Oh them. Well they just kinda. Stopped showing up the same time they," She motioned outside. "Started comin around. Like they scared 'em off or somethin'. Sure we'd still get the occasional beast in town but ever since they started hangin' around all the time we haven’t really seen any." Harriet leaned back and stared at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Last time we saw one was about two years ago around the same time as now. Festival in town and people was just startin' to filter in. That night an Dire Wolf managed to stumble itself intah town. It had cornered a kid and none of us knew what tah do, we ain't fighters. There was some adventurers in town but we didn't need 'em. It was one a them that scared it off. Ain't never seen her before or since. She was one a them with the animal skulls. Had her a big lizard thing, like dragon skull and a big furry pelt. She roared at the thing fucking stood it down like she was one of 'em and when it went after her she hit it with something. Happened to fast for us to see but the beast ran off and we ain't seen a monster in or around town since."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gregor and Keir in the next one!


	8. Everythings totally cool! I promise.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the not to secret secret is revealed.

Mollie took a slow sip of her tea. "I might have some ideas… but…"

 

"What?" Ashe urged.

 

"I don't know." Mollie sighed. "It's been years since I even thought about it. When you're friend said he'd given you the paper it all came back to me at once." She still seemed very hesitant to give away any specific information but Ashe was hopeful now that Mollie seemed to be opening up.

 

"I… tend to get restless. So I travel. Often."

 

Ashe nodded. She could definitely relate to that.

 

"It was…" Mollie paused to think for a moment. "Two year ago. Maybe three. I don't know. I've never kept very good track of " She sighed . "Of time. I didn't think much of it at first but after a while…" Mollie sighed and put her head in her hands. "I'm sorry. There's so much I can't tell you."

 

"I understand having secrets." Ashe said. "You don't have to tell me everything. Just tell me what you can."

 

Mollie sighed and looked unconvinced. "How much have the people here told you about me?"

 

Ashe shook her head. "Nothing. I wanted to talk to you first."

 

Mollie's raised a brow. "How refreshing." She muttered. "Well. To fund my… hobby, I perform séances and fortune telling's."

 

"I'm sorry." Ashe furrows her brow. "Séance?"

 

"Communications with the dead for the living."

 

The topographers eyes widen. "You can do that?!"

 

"Well enough to satisfy. Though, I admit most of it is performance."

 

"Ah… wow. Okay. Uhm…" Ashe took a moment to take in this new information. She desperately wanted to know more about that but decided to handle one problem at a time. "What does that have to do with that guy?"

 

"I had traveled to a beach town. On of those resort areas." She waved a dismissive hand. "Tourist traps." She waited briefly for Ashe to give any indication of recognition. She didn't. "I fit in rather well with the rest of the street performers." She drains the rest of her tea. "He enters my tent like anyone else. He pays. We begin. I… remember having trouble."

 

"Trouble?"

 

"I couldn't hold on to the one he claimed to want to contact but my own spirits. The ones who always seem to be near to me were growing rather upset. So I ask him to leave. He won't let me go. He leans in close and he says to me that." Mollie takes a deep breath and glances away.

 

"What? What did he say?"

 

Mollie doesn't answer. She appears to be considering.

 

"Mollie..?"

 

"He threatens me." She settles. "He threatens me and my family. Says he’ll find us all. Kill us all. Honestly he sounded insane and I suppose I dismissed him as such after ejecting him from my tent. Fortunately it wasn't unheard of for travelers to hassle the street performers and the local authorities had little patience for it. "

 

"And that's it? He just went away?"

 

"If only it were that simple. No. As I moved along from town to town. So did he. I would spot him in crowds, catch his scent. He was following me. Perhaps he was hoping I would lead him to the others. Since it wasn't in my best interests to fight this man I had to loose him instead. Whoever he was, is, fancies himself a tracker but I can assure you I am a better one. I ran him in circles for days and eventually did loose him. Though it did take a frustratingly long time. I spent months afterwards looking over my should but when nothing came of it, it simply ceased to be a concern."

 

A hush fell over the room as Aesling took in what she'd just been told. "How… did you loose him?"

 

This question was met with yet more silence and I hard stare from Mollie.

 

"Right. Okay. So you said he's a tracker. You think he a hunter of some kind?"

 

"No." Mollie sighed. "Certainly not. I believe he uses magic."

 

It was Ashe's turn to sighed. "Great. I hate dealing with magic."

 

Mollie chuckled warmly. "You and me both."

 

Ashe glanced up but chose, once again, to deal with that another time.

 

"Would you like some more tea?"

 

Ashe smiled. "Yes please."

 

-

 

Further down the line of inns and houses Gregor was carefully observing the painted people as they passed, looking out for any sort of suspicious behavior. So far it seemed that they were actually fairly innocent. The most suspicious thing about them were their appearances, and the secretive behavior he'd observed last night. Though now, none of that was evident. They wandered the town and interacted with the people like anyone else. Like absolutely nothing was out of place. And the locals treated them like they would anyone else and not at all as… unnerving as they appeared. No one even blinked at the occasional animal and monster skull.

 

Though despite their fairly innocuous behavior he still observed a few that concerned him. There was something he'd noticed about all of them. He saw it now in the two who walked in front of him and he'd observed it in Mollie and Balis the night before. They moved with the measured tightness of someone ready to fight. Someone ready to have to defend themselves or maybe spring on someone else at any moment. It seemed like they were always on guard. Always watching, and always ready to fight. Even now the two in front of him, one wearing some sort of bird skull and the other a saber-toothed cat, were tracking him. The seemed to be having a carefree conversation between the two of them but the moment he'd moved in behind them something in them shifted. A coiling of muscles, a light incline of their heads, a readiness that would have gone unnoticed by anyone who didn't know exactly what to look for. And Gregor did.

 

He'd noted behavior like this in one form or another in almost every painted person he passed. Though on the surface they seemed carefree and even friendly there was a nervousness in almost all of them. Were they guilty? Was it because they were planning something they knew they shouldn't be? Or were they expecting to be attacked? Why? What were they hiding? What reason did they have to be so on guard in such a small cozy town?

 

Despite all of the suspicious behavior there was one thing that had been worrying him since they met one of the men they'd spoken to at the bar the night before. He didn't have the same nervous readiness the others had. He was calm, relaxed. Not as though he didn't believe he was in danger, but in a way that seemed challenging. Like he was daring whatever these people seemed to think might happen to them, to happen. Like he was making a point. His reaction to the tattoo image had also been pointedly different from the others. While his friends at the table tensed, adopting that readiness to fight that Gregor was beginning to believe might be inherent in them. This one seemed almost maliciously gleeful. The warrior hadn't been able to shake the look of the large laughing mans wild eyed grin since they left the bar. If there was any sort of malicious intent in these people Gregor was sure he would find it with that man.

 

Fortunately, the town is small enough that finding anyone in it was no difficult task. He spotted the twins first. They're all black paint and bright green eyes making them stand out more than most. The thick furs they wore around their waists that hung down to their ankles didn't make them any less conspicuous even among their own. They stood in the center of town, where he and his friends had entered the night before, and were speaking to a couple of locals. They were calm. Calming. As if they put out some sort of peaceful aura. Their movements were controlled but they didn't vibrate with the same suppressed energy as they others. They were calculated. Like they measured every movement, every word.

 

The one he was looking for, the grinning one, was sitting back on his heels balancing his weight on his toes a little ways away interacting with a small child. Something that made Gregor a bit nervous. The man ruffled the small boys hair and grinned. Not the feral grin he'd given them at the bar but still a bit too wide. His eyes tracked the child as he moved around the big man before reaching up and grabbing his hair to pull him down lower. The mans eyes widens and for a brief moment the grin changed to grimace but he otherwise did nothing as the child hauled himself up on those broad shoulders using the mans long out of control white hair and tattered shall as holds. Once the child was firmly seated the man drew up to his impressive full height and bounces on the balls of his feat. Like the twins, his energy wasn't nervous. Unlike the twins, it wasn't controlled. He was itching to use it and that grin and bordering wild look in his eye made Gregor hope he wasn't planning to.

 

The young boy patted his head and pointed up to the roof of a nearby shop. To which the feral grin returns though more mischievous then the one he'd directed at Markus. His eyes flashed bright green and he bound over to home and within seconds had scaled the wall and scrambled up the slanted roof. The child's delight shriek alerted both the twins and the couple, which Gregor now assumed where the kids parents, to their antics. The twins fixed their companion with a long suffering look while the kids mother waved to them from the ground. The boy waved back. His father looked far less pleased. One of the twins called to the man on the roof but he wasn’t paying any attention to them. He had locked eyes with Gregor. He'd gone completely still, the menace in his grin had returned.

 

Alerted by their friends sudden intensity they followed his gaze to where Gregor stood not far from them. One of the gave a soft smile and nodded to the warrior while the other looked a bit more weary. As Gregor approached the two turned to the couple and spoke with them briefly during which time the grinning man had come down from the building much to the child's disappointment. He allowed the woman to pull the boy from his shoulders, stooping slightly so she could do so, gave the child one last pat on the head before turning his wild grin to Gregor.

 

"Mollie excited to hear from her fiancé?" He asked. His tone more then a little mocking.

 

"Errin." One of the twins hissed a warning as he shoulder past the larger man. "Hello again." He greeted pleasantly.

 

"Hi!" Gregor answered, returning the friendliness. "My names Gregor Hartway! We didn't really introduce ourselves properly… last night."

 

The twins blinked and exchanged a glance between them, the introductions having caught them off guard. "It's… a pleasure to meet you, Gregor. I'm Onics." The soft spoken one pressed a hand to his own chest before motioning to his less welcoming twin. "This is my brother Rankor." Rankor nods stiffly. Onics glances over to their large companion who simply crosses his arms and shifts his weight to one hip. The twin rolls his eyes. "And that. Is Errin. " He supplied when it became clear his friend had no intention of doing so himself. "Is there…" Onics scrutinizes Gregor curiously. "Something more we can do for you, Gregor?"

 

"So uhm." Gregor scratches the back of his neck. "Why didn't you tell us she didn't have a fiancé last night?"

 

This time Rankor moves to speak but is interrupted by Errin. "Wait." He steps forward just a bit fixing Gregor with an amused and disbelieving smile. "You seriously didn't know?" He grins wider, his long sharp canines glinting. "HA! That's hilarious!"

 

"I don't think so…" Gregor grumbles. This does little more then coax more laughter from the imposing man.

 

Again the twins gave him a soft but stern warning that fell on deaf ears.

 

"You'll have to excuse him." Rankor ground out, glaring at the other man. "He's rude."

 

"We didn't tell you," Onics stepped in, returning the conversation to it's proper track. "Because we did not know what you hoped to gain. We though it best to allow you to believe you were safe to do as you wished. Allowing us an advantage incase you did hold ill intention for Mollie, or anyone else. Though after you're exchange with her last night we no longer believe you malicious." He cause and cocked his head slightly. "The we are concerned about the nature of your employer."

 

"Yeah." Gregor sighed. "Us too…." He paused as what Onics had just said settled on him. "You were… watching us?"

 

Onics nods. Rankor's stance dared Gregor to challenge him.

 

"So… if we did try to hurt her, you were going to fight us."

 

Onics nods once more. Errin shifts, taking on a stance that suggested a fight might not be entirely off the table..

 

The warrior thought about that for a moment before nodding. "That makes sense." He says and the twins exchange glances. "I was kind of thinking the same thing about you."

 

Errin and Rankor raise a brow. Onics remains passive. "You… intent to fight us?" Errin snickers behind him.

 

"Only if you turn out to be dangerous." Gregor assures them. He doesn't want to fight them if he doesn't have to. But if they are Necormancers gathering to finish what they started almost 50 years ago he wasn't going to just let them do it. "I just don't want anything bad to happen to this town."

 

Onics blinked, his calm breaking for just a moment, allowing a look of surprise to show through. Rankor looked positively offended. Errin shouldered past them before either could say a word. "You accusing us of something, kid?" He ground out, his eyes glowing bright as an unseen energy whirling around him that made the hair on Gregor's arm stand on end. Around his hands wisps of crackling energy, like bright green storm clouds, wove their way through his fingers and up his arms.  He asked, stopping just a little too close to the warrior. The very air around the man had become oppressive. Gregor felt like he had just walking into a blanket of static, the man even smelled like electricity.

 

"Only if there's something to accuse you of." Gregor said, meeting Errin's glare steadily.

  
"Errin!" One of the twins scolded forcefully before pulling the giant back. Gregor couldn't help feeling like Errin had allowed it to happen. He didn't think that man could be moved if he didn't want to be.

 

"You feel that someone hold ill intent for the town?" The other asked Gregor, stepping between him and their friend.

 

"I don't know." Gregor admitted. He really had no solid proof that they were going to do something malicious but he trusted his gut when it told him they were dangerous. "I just don't want anyone to do anything I'd have to make them regret."

 

Onics studied Gregors face closely looking for any hint of a threat, and Errin suddenly let out a roar of laughter, he found none and the soft smile returned to his face though he seemed much less sincere then before. "I assure you, no one here means any harm to this town or the people who live here." Rankor grew visibly more agitated though Gregor couldn't tell if it was because of him or Errin's growing laughter behind them.

 

"No… soul stealing, or horrible death ritual?"

 

Errin's laughter. Which had been no closer to dying out, redoubled at this question. Rankor tensed and rounded on him causing his brother to reach out a place hand on his arm seemingly out of reflex. "ERRIN!"

 

"I can't!" Errin gasped, holding out a hand and the other braced against his knees as he half doubled over. "I can't!"

 

"You have my word." Onics said, ignoring the others.

 

Gregor watched Onics for a moment. He didn't feel like he was being lied to. The painted man held his gaze steadily, he wasn't smiling anymore. Just watching. "Okay. Good!" Gregor grinned. "Just thought I'd make sure."

 

"Of course." Onics nodded. "If you have any other concerns. We'd be happy to discuss them."

 

"Great! Well, thanks!" Gregor waved to the twins who nodded back to him while Errin slowly gained control of himself behind them.

 

As Gregor left them he felt a bit better. He still didn't entirely trust Errin, who he now know was as dangerous, if not more, then he'd first thought. But the Twins seemed like they could keep him under control. At least Gregor hoped so. He trusted them at least to the point that they seemed to trust him and his friends. So he could at least return the curtesy for now.

-

 

The twins waited until the adventurer had left their sight before Rankor rounded on Errin who was still giggling. "WHAT! Beastly spirit compels you to behave this way?!"

 

This just set Errin laughing all over again.

 

Rankor looked his brother dead in the eyes. "I'm going to kill him."

 

"Please don't." Onics smiled. "Then you'll have to take over his temple. And I know you don't want that." He glanced back the way Gregor had left. "I do hope that one doesn't become a problem. It's been peaceful here." 

-

 

Markus had set a side two of the magical books and was now picking through the 'books about magic' shelf and he spoke with Harriet. "So. Does anyone know who they are? Where they come from?"

 

She shook her head. "They're a secretive bunch. Don't really talk about themselves much. Don't answer a lot of questions."

 

"Then I suppose no one knows what they are."

 

"Nah. Doesn't seem like the type a thing you ask a fella. 'Specially after they done so much for you." She tilted her head. "A few folks 'round here reckon they might be spirit folk."

 

"I suppose that's always possible…" He doubted highly that this was the case but he supposed anything was possible in the realm of spirit folk. "They're magic then?" He'd been sensing something around them. By now it had saturated the whole town. He wasn't entirely sure that it was magic.

 

Harriet shrugged. "I'd reckon so. They're something."

 

"Have… you ever seen them do anything?"

 

Harriet shook her head. "Nuthin' incredible. Sometimes they're eyes glow and that’s weird. I seen one run clear across the town in seconds flat once but a lot of 'em is pretty fast. Then there was the owl bear but, that coulda been anything."

 

"Huh. Well." Markus pulled one more book from the shelves and added it to the other two. "Thank you, Harriet. For regaling me with the tales of the town." He dropped a pouch of gold in her hand and gave a low bow.

 

"Thank you, Mr Velafi." Harriet grinned at him holding up the pouch. "Ya'll have a good day. Enjoy the Festival."

 

-

 

Keir found himself wandering past the town. He'd found a small path leading behind the inns and not quite into the forest. It lead him over a small hill and into yet another smaller clearing that was very suddenly closed off by trees. It was actually pretty nice. Calming even. There were flowers and the grass was lush, a clear pond spanned most of the far side of it. It seemed both like this area had gone both completely untouched by anyone but was also meticulously cared for.

 

"Huh." He looked around and stepped closer to the water when he heard soft 'plonk' of something falling into the water followed by a soft swear. He glanced in the direction of the noise and found Annie from the inn peering into the water. His startled shriek alerted her to his presence.

 

"Oh!" Annie jumped a little his scream startling her more then his presence. "Hi." She muttered, sitting back on her legs.

 

"Heeeeeyyyyy." Keir waved awkwardly, edging back a bit. "I uh, I didn't. I wasn't going to-. You. I'll just. I'll go! I'm leaving! BYE!" He took a few steps backwards but didn't turn around.

 

"You don't have to leave." She says, watching him for a moment before turning back to the water. "I don't mind the company."

 

"Uuuuhhh." Keir glanced between her and the path the led him here. If he stayed he could get got. It could be a trap to take his soul and turn him into a skeleton! He didn't want to be a skeleton! He's to young to be a skeleton!!! But it might be a test. What if he fails by leaving like it insults her or something like the witches in the woods, Gregor told him about that test travelers with moral dilemma's and curse the ones that don't preform the good deed! And sure he'd decided to sit out on the detectiving but all of his friends were out doing what they could to solve the great mancer mystery and here a chance to help was staring him in the face. SO. Does he rick getting got to help his friends. Or Run and keep his soul… After a moment his shoulders slumped… Friends it is.

 

Slowly he inches closer to her, as if approaching a wild animal. "So uh… This is a nice place."

 

Annie looked up and around as if taking the clearing in for the first time and hummed thoughtfully. "It is."

 

"It's not… uh. It's not all fear hazy like the rest of the forest."

 

"Water is very cleansing. It's very good at keeping away negative energies."

 

"Really?" Kier perked a little a pulled out his book of notes and began scribbling. "So…? This water is keeping the whole town safe?"

 

Annie though for a moment. "No. The water is keeping itself safe. We think the town is unaffected because it exists in the middle of the forest. Like a storm."

 

"Huh." Keir tilted his head, pen hovering above the page. Before scribbling down more notes. Feeling a little encouraged by her seeming disinterest in his presence and apparent willingness to answer his questions Keir edged a bit closer. "You uh. You know a lot about this…?" He said, voice growing progressively higher as he tried to keep any kind of accusation away. Gotta be careful. Don't wanna get got.

 

Annie shrugged. "I know some." She muttered. "But there are others who know more."

 

There was a brief moment of silence

 

"Has that forest always been so fucking terrifying?!" Keir asked suddenly, unable to contain himself. "I mean I felt like I was going to be eaten! There's not even anything in there, Why is it to scary?!"

 

The woman finally looked away from the water. She sat back and looked up at the sky as if consulting it. "I don't think so." She said slowly. "Something… shifted."

 

"Shift..ed?"

 

She nodded. "Sometimes things on other planes shift and so does our relation to them. And when they do it affects the way our own plane behaves."

 

Keir blinked. "You're talking about spirit stuff."

 

Annie perks up a bit. "You're familiar?"

 

Kier laughs. "Like you wouldn't believe!"

 

Annie grins a little at this. "We think a plane shift may have awakened something in the forest."

 

"Like a monster?" Keir whispered conspiratorially.

 

Annie laughed. "No. Like an energy. Or a spirit. Perhaps many." She shrugged.

 

"So it's haunted."

 

"Put simply, yes."

 

Kier found himself growing more at ease as he scribbled in his notebook. He'd now marked off a new section for the haunted forest. Somewhere under which he'd underlined 'Necromancer soul bank?' He was also pleasantly surprised to find Annie was actually pretty nice for someone who might get him.

 

"So there's a lot of… uhm. You guys, around." He said, testing the boundaries of her willingness to go along with his questions.

 

She looked at him questioningly and he waved his hand around his face to indicate her paint. She understood the gesture and nodded. "Yeah. We're here for the festival."

 

Keir paused. "What-uhh… What kind of festival?" The soul steally kind?

 

"We hold it twice a year here in town. It's mostly for us to gather and trade among ourselves. Over the years others from." She paused to consider her words. "Outside have begun to take part."

 

"Trade? Wait. So. You guys. You just came here to buy stuff?"

 

Annie nods.

 

"Whew! What a relief!" Annie watched him curiously as he laughed and seemed to relax all at once. "I thought! Ha! We all thought you guys were here to do some crazy soul stealing ritual! But you're just here to buy a bunch of shit!"

 

Annie blinked and her shoulders fell. "Oh. I see." She glanced down at the grass before looking back up to Keir with a slightly forced smile. "Well, I'm glad I could  dismiss your fears."

 

Keir back paddles desperately sensing he's said something wrong. "Ah! I mean, It's good right! Everything's fine. No ones gunna steal souls so no one has to fight anyone and it's cool we can be friends!"

 

Annie gave a small laugh. "That would be nice, wouldn't it."

 

Keir scooted himself a bit closer as a show of good faith. "So what's with all the make up, anyway? It kinda makes you guys look skeletony."

 

"It's part of our beliefs." Kier begins scribbling in his notes again. "We're divided amongst ourselves. Each… division uses a different style of body paint to show which group we belong to which communicates our skills and abilities. Of course there are alternatives but paint is most common among us."

 

"Oooooohhhh." Kier says. "That's way less scary."

 

"I suppose we do look rather unnerving…" Annie muttered looking down at her cloak.

 

"Oh totally!" Annie gave a small hum. "You don't like… worship death and kill people to build armies or anything?"

 

Again the woman furrows her brow. "No? At least we don't… haven't killed anyone on such a grand scale in the recent past." She muttered thoughtfully. Keir finds her choice of phrase worrying. "I wouldn't say we worship death. So much as we embrace it. Most view it as something… to be avoided at all costs. Tragic or even unnatural. We… don't. We accept it, use it, and even welcome it as a natural, glorious part of our lives."

 

"Mhmm. Mhmm." Keir nods for interjecting. "Okay. I see what your getting at. But. I don't want to die."

 

Annie laughed loudly at this. "No one does! Well…" She thinks for a moment but lets it go. "Often the thing that stops us from living is fear of death. You'd be amazing the feats one can accomplish when their not afraid to die."

 

"Huh. I guess I did do a lot more crazy shit when I didn't have to worry about dying." He mused out loud earning him a questioning look that he ignored. "Hey." He glanced over at the pond. "Did you lose something?"

 

Annie seemed to deflate. "My focusing crystal. I set it down for a moment and it fell into the water. It's deeper then it looks."

 

Keir tilts his head. "Why not just jump in an get it? With all that stuff about embracing death, doesn't seem like a problem."

 

Annie fixes him with an unimpressed stared. "Yes. But I have always had rather poor health and do not wish to suffer a cold, or worse, for a gem."

 

Keir stands. "Yeah that makes sense. Getting sick sucks." He steps into the water without hesitation and gives a surprised yelp when he suddenly splashes down to his waist in water. "IT'S BOTH DEEPER AND COLDER THEN IT LOOKS!"

 

"Oh! Kall's ferry! Are you okay?!" Annie gasps.

 

"I'M FINE! I GOT THIS!" Then he disappears beneath the still surface of the pond.

 

She leans over the edge of the pond and watches the water with a growing nervousness. After a worryingly long moment Kier bursts through the water just below her sending her back with a small spray. "I GOT IT!.. I think." He held up a light crystal that shimmered green and blue in the light.

 

"Yes!" She cheered taking it from his hand. "You didn't have to- oh. You're soaked now."

  
"Ah, it's fine!" Keir hauls himself back up, Annie attempt to help but makes little difference. "We're friends! I'll totally jump into a pond for a friend."

 

Annie blinked owlishly at him. "O-…oh?"

 

"Keir Fiore!" He announces, jabbing a thumb at his chest. "Genius inventor, Human number one!"

 

She gives a soft chuckle. "Annamyth." She offers. "Of the Temple of Kall."

 

Keir grins widely. "Yeah! That's totally a name!" She blinks. "Well! This was fun! Thanks for the talk. But I'm supposed to meet my friends, my other friends, for lunch!" He wrings the water out of his cape before waving. "Bye!"

 

Annie watched him go and shook her head, smiling.

 

-

 

Ashe and Mollie finished their tea in a relative comfortable silence. They'd spent a few moment conversing about why Mollie was living in town when none of the others were which really just came down to a need for space. Turns out her people are a rather close community oriented group that Mollie wasn't always entirely fond of. Something Ashe could relate to, finding she and Mollie both shared the occasional need for solitude from their, habitually smothering friends.

 

Ashe glances out the window  and sighed. "I supposed I should be going." They had agreed to meet back at the Ferrelie house for lunch to share what they'd learned and see what gaps they could fill. "But before I go." She meets Mollies gaze. "Can I ask you one more question?"

 

Mollie blinks slowly and leans back in her seat. "You've spent the whole morning doing so. I don't see what harm one more would do."

 

"I… You and the others." Ashe paused for a moment, considering her words before deciding just to go for it. "Are you Necromancers?"

 

Mollie met her with a steady gaze. She didn't move or speak for a long, tense, thick moment. Ashe swallows hard but hold the woman's gaze. They'd done a lot of speculating on the fact and while everyone seemed fairly positive that the town was absolutely crawling with Necromancers Ashe wanted to know for sure.

 

Finally Mollie inhales deeply. "Yes." 

 

Ashe looked down at her cup and set it back on the table. "Thank you, Mollie."

 

The woman sighs and looks away. "Just don't go spreading it around. We don't have the best reputation."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still no pictures of annie cause I'm a lazy fuck. Thanks for reading my bullshit though!


	9. Don't lick scissors, kids.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang has a brainstorming session. Not a whole lot happens. It's fine.

Ashe found Markus  back at the Ferellie's Inn already with a full plate infront of him. His head propped up on one hand as he speared a chunk of meat with his fork. He perked when she arrived.

 

"Ashe! Learn anything interesting?"

 

"A lot actually." Ashe answered.

 

As she took a seat across the table Gregor slid into his next to her. "Were's Ke-"

 

"IT'S OKAY!" Suddenly a very out breath, very wet, Engineer appears steadying himself on the table. "I'm here! I didn't get got!"

 

"That's great buddy!" Markus chimed.

 

"Uhm… Keir?" Ashe started, eyeing the soaked inventor. "Why are you wet?"

 

"Oh yeah!" The big man looks down at himself as if just noticing the state he was in. "I jumped into a pond. I'm really hungry! I'm gunna get a get some food!"

 

"Alright! So" Markus clapped once everyone has gathered enough food to be satisfied. "What did everyone learn?"

 

"They're definitely Necromancer's, Markus." Ashe started. More then eager to share what Mollie had told her. "The ones you mentioned."

 

"For sure? How do you know?"

 

Ashe nodded. "Mollie told me?"

 

"She just… told you?" He asked

 

"I told you if we just talked to her and explained ourselves she'd be willing to help us."

 

Keir blinked. "Well, duh, they're necromancers! I thought we already agreed on that, was that really still a question!?" He laughed. "But it's totally cool though! They're just here to buy shit!"

 

Ashe furrowed her brow while Markus nodded. "There's some kind of trade festival starting tonight." The tiefling explained.

 

"Yep!" Keir chirped loudly and proudly. "They're totally harmless! They don't even steal souls!"

 

"I wouldn't call them harmless." Gregor said thoughtfully.

 

Markus and Ashe pause and share a worried glance. "Gregor." Markus starts. "Lets talk about that for a second, Gregor. What makes you say that?" Keir pauses in the loud slurping of his spaghetti to glance up at the warrior.

 

"I talked to a few of the ones we met last night and I get the feeling their actually pretty strong."

 

Ashe and Markus exchange a more frantic glance. "Okay, Gregor. Pal. I'm just checking here." Markus leaned forward a little. "But by talk… do you mean fight?"

 

Gregor shook his head. "No. We just talked. It went pretty well!" He said, clearly pleased. "They gave me their word that they weren't doing anything bad they were actually pretty nice about it. Although…" The warriors brow furrowed. "One of them did laugh a lot. Which it weird, cause I didn't tell any jokes…"

 

The table was silent for a moment. "That'll probably be fine." Markus decided before turning his attention back to Ashe while Keir made affirming sounds beside him. "Mollie didn't happen to mention anything about out mystery client did she?"

 

"She did, actually." Ashe did her best to summarize Mollie's experience. By the time she was done Markus and Gregor appeared to be deep in thought and Keir had his head cocked like a dog trying to identify an unfamiliar sounds.

 

"That doesn't make any sense." Markus said after a moment. "Why wait almost two years to hire a group of adventurers to bring her to him, when he clearly already knows where she is?"

 

"Unless he doesn't." Kier chimed. "Maybe he can't get through the forest with all the spooky spirit stuff going on.

 

"True…." Makrus muttered. "We only got through because of Gregor."

 

"Which was awesome by the way." The engineer said flashing Gregor a thumbs up.

 

"Still though. He must have known she'd never come back with us. I mean. She knows she's not engaged-"

 

"Unless…" Gregor started. "He didn't expect her to." All eyes fell on Gregor as he worked through his thoughts. "What if. It wasn't about bringing her back. But just getting us here?"

 

Ashe's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

 

Markus suddenly swore and began rooting through his sack. After a moment he pulled out the drawing of Molly's tattoo and smoothed it out on the table and waved a hand over the paper casting a bright purple light over it as he moved. Almost instantly a thin red line appeared anchored to the center of the paper and shooting off through the wall of the Inn into the forest beyond.

 

Ashe blinked. "What…?"

 

The Tiefling scowled and once again dove into his sack. "It's a tracking spell." He grumbled. "One I should have caught before now." He pulled out a pair of scissors and licked the flat of the blade without hesitation.

 

"Ew."

 

"What? Their mine." He'd licked worse things for the sake of magic. He placed the scissors against the line and snipped it cleanly in two. It dropped away like a string having lost all it's tension before disappearing entirely.

 

"Is it… is that it?" Ashe asked, wearily.

 

Markus shrugged. "The spell is disabled. But our friend could be right outside gates for all we know."

 

Ashe stood up suddenly and with enough force to nearly knock over her chair. "We have to tell them!"

 

After a moment of hesitation while the situation sank in Markus followed suit with notably more grace. "Yep. We gotta go now."

 

"You think they'll be mad?" Kier asked. "This seems like the kind of thing they'd be mad about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HA! How longs it been?! WHO'S EVEN KEEPING TRACK?!

**Author's Note:**

> I... I don't know. I'm sorry.


End file.
